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Deutsch Who is the Bachelor’s degree in Public Social Management suitable for?
The Public Social Management degree course is aimed at high school graduates (Abitur) as well as people with a university of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife) who are seeking a career in the social administration of the Bavarian districts. The target group also includes people already employed in public administrations who want to specifically further qualify themselves or take on leadership roles. The course is particularly suitable for people interested in socially relevant tasks, administrative processes, and direct contact with citizens, who want to start or expand their career in the public service or in related institutions.
What admission requirements do you need to meet for Public Social Management?
You will be admitted to the Bachelor's degree course in Public Social Management if you can prove one of the following qualifications:
- General university entrance qualification (Abitur)
- University of applied sciences entrance qualification (Fachabitur)
- Studying without Abitur: With completed vocational training and several years of professional experience, you can also apply. An aptitude test is required.
For a cooperative degree, an additional employment contract with a district or a public institution is necessary. Previously acquired academic achievements from other university courses may be recognised and contribute to a shortening of the study period.
For a successful degree in Public Social Management, you should bring responsibility, organisational skills, and an interest in legal issues. Important personal prerequisites are:
- Communication skills – in contact with citizens as well as within a team
- Empathy and social sensitivity – dealing with concerns from areas such as care assistance, social security, or integration assistance
- Analytical thinking – for processing complex administrative and legal issues
- Willingness to learn and self-initiative – as the course offers a high proportion of practical work and self-study
- Motivation for social issues – especially for the modernisation and shaping of public social administration
Detailed Study Contents
In the Bachelor’s degree programme Public Social Management at the University of Applied Management, you acquire comprehensive knowledge in business administration and social law – specifically tailored to the requirements of public social administration. The programme comprises 210 ECTS and combines a scientifically sound education with a clear practical orientation. The core study contents include:
- Business Administration: Introduction to business fundamentals, controlling, cost and performance accounting, investment and financing, marketing, personnel and organisational management.
- Social Law and Administrative Law: Legal framework conditions of social administration, including social legislation, administrative law, public service law, and budgetary law.
- Practice-oriented Modules: Case studies, project modules and exercises with realistic application cases from public administration.
- Administrative and Advisory Activities: Checking entitlement to benefits, negotiating care rates, organising assistance services and support within social security.
- Cross-disciplinary Skills: Communication, teamwork, personal development, management and leadership skills.
- Digitalisation and AI: Use of modern technologies and development of solution strategies, especially including current challenges through artificial intelligence.
- Foreign Languages and Future Skills: Business English as well as the module “Global Challenges and Future Skills”.
A practical semester strengthens the direct connection to professional reality in social administration.
How is the Study Process Structured in Public Social Management?
The programme is designed for 7 semesters and follows the part-time and semi-virtual learning model. Teaching primarily takes place online on a learning platform and is supplemented by interactive face-to-face workshops. Each semester, you attend approximately ten face-to-face sessions – these are targeted at deepening practical relevance and facilitating exchange within learning teams.
- Part-time Learning: You can complete the programme flexibly alongside your job in social administration or with a partner company.
- Practical Integration: The fifth semester as a whole is designed as a practical semester and is completed directly at a district administration or another social welfare provider.
- Competence-oriented Focus: 42% of the programme consists of practically oriented learning content.
- Individual Support: Small learning groups with personal contact to lecturers.
At the end of the programme, you write a bachelor thesis, which often addresses a current topic from social administration in a practice-oriented manner.
Professional Perspectives after Graduation: What Can You Expect?
With the Bachelor of Public Social Management, you are optimally prepared for responsible positions in public social administration. Digitalisation and modernisation offer numerous opportunities for committed career starters. Typical fields of activity and career options include:
- Case Management and Administrative Processing in the areas of social security, integration assistance, care support or subsistence assistance.
- Advice and Support for citizens regarding the application for and design of social benefits.
- Negotiation of Care Rates, processing of service and remuneration agreements, organising assistance and transport services.
- Taking on Leadership Roles and project tasks in the administrations of the Bavarian districts.
- Representation of the Administration in interdisciplinary project groups at district and state level.
You benefit from collective agreement remuneration, flexible working time models, secure conditions of public service and very good further training and advancement opportunities, for example through a subsequent master’s degree in the field of management.
Where Does the Programme Take Place? Explanation of Attendance and Locations
The University of Applied Management conducts the Public Social Management programme mainly at the Ismaning campus near Munich. The virtual learning platform enables you to complete most modules independently of location. The face-to-face workshops and seminars usually take place in Ismaning or Nuremberg. During the practical semester, you work directly in one of the Bavarian district administrations – for example in Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Middle Franconia, Lower Franconia, Upper Franconia, Upper Palatinate or Swabia.
- Semi-virtual Model: Mostly online, targeted face-to-face events in Ismaning or Nuremberg.
- Practical Semester: At a district administration of your choice within Bavaria.
What Does the Programme Cost and What Financing Options Are Available?
The tuition fees for the Bachelor’s degree in Public Social Management at HAM amount to €495 per month (total amount: €21,585 for the standard period of 7 semesters) in the part-time model. If you choose the cooperative (dual) study programme with a partner company – for example a district administration – the employer pays the tuition fees and additionally pays you a salary. This makes the dual model the most commonly used and financially attractive option.
- Part-time: €495 monthly (if self-funded)
- Cooperative (dual study): Tuition fees are fully covered by the employer; in addition, you usually receive a monthly training salary.
It is recommended to start with existing employment or with a partner company in order not to pay tuition fees out of your own pocket and to gain practical experience early on.
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